truth and public squares...

I don't really know if today was any different than any other day in the news realm, but I could not help but get sucked in to the blatent overall them today on the many networks. I tend to be a news junkie. Whenever I have a few minutes during the day, I love going to various websites, radio stations, tv channels, etc. to see what's going on in this fast paced, connected, global world we live in. It's our modern day public square. It's how people all around the world get facts, read about events, and to see what current issues will affect their lives in the near future. But today seemed a little different. A little biased. A little close to home. It seemed the church, christianity, and the Lord's work (I use that term loosely and firmly at the same time for various reasons) were all woven in to the tapestry of the majority of stories  I seemed to read about. First, with the Christians in Egypt under attack from the interim government, to the Presby USA church ordination of it's controversial clergy, to the Unitarian church here in Charlotte that held a blessing service for pets (filled with "hymns" centered around glorification of animals, rock and roll, and the "clergy's" name), to the GOP debate on the calling of Mormonism "a cult  (and how it is perceived with voters), to Tim Tebow and his polarizing stance for Christ, to the Iranian pastors life in the hands of the Iranian supreme judge, it seems that everything I was reading broke my heart for what I was seeing unfold in front of my very eyes. It should not have come as such a shock I guess, but the overall rejection of truth in our "modern day public square" just reminded me of Isaiah 59, and how the Lord must look at all of this. It says, starting in verse 9: "Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men. We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities: transgressing and denying the LORD, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words. Justice is turned back and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The LORD saw it, and it displeased him..." Wow. I had to repent. Truth is lacking in my world, in my generation, in my heart, and it convicted me to my core. Like Isaiah had stated previously when he realized his condition in the light of God's holiness in chapter 6, I repented of being a man of "unclean lips...in the midst of a people of unclean lips." It was all laid out there all day for me to think over. And what was  most frustrating, for me at least, was the fact that the main issue was not even being discussed, but was lost in the discussion of more trivial things. Yes, the calling of Romney's faith a "cult" was being talked about, but noone ever sought the truth about the statement the entire day. It was assumed that the statement was ill-timed, politically incorrect, and ill-advised. What the issue was about all day long was if the statement would help or hurt certain candidates in the polling. Where are we at as a nation? We say this is a stupid thing to say and then we think it is a travesty for Iran to martyr a pastor for his faith? Where is the standard? Are we really going to criticize a nation for their stance all-the-while demonizing religious freedom at home? Are we really going to act like we are concerned for brothers in Egypt being killed for who they worship while at the same time being tolerant and supportive of "churches" focusing more on  animals and creation than the One True God?  My heart was so saddened at the supportive, positive, and extensive interviews with the Presby minister all day. It was heralded as a great victory for God. A step toward enlightenment for the church. A victory for mankind. What they all forgot to mention was the truth. And to hear Him say that God has been his biggest supporter for the past decade was heresy. A tainting of His name. As I read the Truth in the Scriptures, I do not see that god. He isn't in there. He is Truth, and he is holy. I think the realization that was the plumbline to the heart of the matter was this. All day long, I would venture to say maybe 3-4 hours of news coverage, with all the clergy, rabbis, pastors, media, and politicians interviewed, not once, ONCE, did I hear any scripture quoted. We are so blessed by the freedom to go to His Word for truth in everything we see, but we as a nation have turned our back on Him. Don't believe me? Go to the public squares. It's the pulse of the body that we call our society. A lot of people are searching for Him there.